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Choice: Building Success Together
Left to right, Alam Pirani, Colliers International Hotels, Erin O’Brien, PKF Consulting, Brian Leon, Choice Hotels Canada and Ian Ricci of GE Capital made up the panel at Choice Hotels Canada’s Investment luncheon Oct. 6.
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TORONTO—“Building Success Together” was the theme of Choice Hotels Canada’s third annual fall conference held October 5-6 at the Hilton Toronto Airport hotel. A popular event that attracts Choice franchisees and investors from across the country, this year’s event was the most successful ever in terms of attendance, according to Nathan Brady, manager loyalty and communications.
New this year was a development lunch featuring panelists Alam Pirani, Colliers International Hotels, Erin O’Brien, PKF Consulting, and Ian Ricci of GE Capital.
Brian Leon, managing director, franchise growth and administration for Choice Hotels Canada, told attendees that Choice had passed a big milestone, by opening its 300th hotel.
“It’s a big deal!” he said, adding that with 320 hotels open or under development in Canada, and gross revenues of $460 million, the company is the country’s largest hotel franchisee. Choice Hotels Canada opened 16 new hotels in 2010, and is on track to open the same number in 2011.
And he reiterated last year’s theme—that the new hotels in the system are raising the bar in terms of LTR (likelihood to recommend) scores, with 27 out of 30 above the brand average for LTR.
Leon added that there is more new build growth than ever before, up 25 per cent in the last three years. At the same time Choice has been more aggressive in terminating non-performing hotels.
“It’s never an easy thing to do,” Leon noted. “But our franchisees tell us that in some situations, we have to be very aggressive in dealing with them, because these hotels are brand damaging.”
Other Choice highlights include:
o The strongest development team ever consisting of Ian Sharp, Paul Rice and Marc St-Gelais.
o Increased investment sales, opportunities and marketing.
o Hiring of a revenue optimization specialist, a new position.
o Choice’s call-forwarding program.
o ChoiceROCS.com, a system that simplifies the time-consuming task of responding to RFPs.
o Strong central reservation system.
o A loyalty program with 11 million members.
o Strong sales and marketing program, with $7 million spent on marketing in a broad range of media, plus spillover from U.S. promotions.
“Our vision is to be recognized and respected as Canada’s leading franchise system, with industry-leading ROI, franchise support, and franchise satisfaction,” Leon said.
2011 APEX Award Winners
APEX (Awards for Property Excellence) awards recognize top performing hotels based on service and performance rankings.
Spirit of Hospitality: recognizes an individual, department or hotel that exceeds guests’ expectations, embodying the best in customer service.
Spirit of Hospitality award winner, Gary Squires.
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o National & Atlantic Canada Winner: Gary Squires, front desk agent of the Quality Hotel Harbourview, St. John's, NL
o Ontario: the front desk staff of the Quality Suites Toronto Airport, Toronto, ON
o Québec: the hotel staff of the Quality Inn & Suites, Val D'Or, QC
o Western Canada: the housekeeping department of the Comfort Suites, Kelowna, BC
Highest LTR award winner, Genevieve Milot with Tim Oldfield
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Highest Likelihood to Recommend: recognizes hotels that rank highest in the country on results from a post-stay guest survey designed to gather information about every aspect of the guest experience, including how likely guests are to recommend the hotel to friends and family.
o National & Québec Winner: Quality Suites, Drummondville, QC
o Atlantic Canada: Comfort Inn, Halifax, NS
o Ontario: Quality Inn & Suites, Petawawa, ON
o Western Canada: Comfort Suites, Kelowna, BC
Most Improved Likelihood to Recommend: recognizes hotels that have made the greatest improvements in a post-stay guest survey designed to gather information about every aspect of the guest experience, including how likely guests are to recommend the hotel to friends and family.
o National & Québec Winner: Econo Lodge, St-Apollinaire, QC
o Atlantic Canada: Quality Inn Mic Mac, Dartmouth, NS
o Ontario: Quality Inn & Suites Bay Front, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
o Western Canada: Quality Inn Northern Grand, Fort St. John, BC
Most Improved Room Condition: recognizes hotels that have made the greatest improvements in a post-stay guest survey designed to gather information about every aspect of the guest experience, including overall room condition and cleanliness scores.
· National & Western Canada Winner: Econo Lodge Motel Village, Calgary, BC
o Atlantic Canada: Comfort Inn, Campbellton, NB
o Ontario: Comfort Inn, Newmarket, ON
o Québec: Econo Lodge, St-Apollinaire, QC
Greatest RevPAR Growth (revenue per available room): recognizes the property that achieved the highest percentage RevPAR growth in a rolling-12 month period.
o National & Western Canada Winner: Comfort Inn & Suites, Edson, AB
o Atlantic Canada: Comfort Inn, Edmundston, NB
o Ontario: Quality Inn & Suites, Petawawa, ON
o Quebéc: Quality Inn & Suites, Lévis, QC
Eco-Excellence: recognizes the property with outstanding operational practices and initiatives designed to reduce environmental impact and waste, meet the changing expectations of today's environmentally-conscious guest, and lower operational expenses.
o National Winner: Comfort Inn Downtown, Vancouver, BC
Best Renovation/Redesign: recognizes superior hotel renovations and redesigns that have been completed throughout the year.
o National Winner: Comfort Inn Airport West, Mississauga, ON
2011 Rookie of the Year: recognizes a new member of the Choice family that has embraced Choice programs, demonstrated a passion to provide the best guest customer experience possible, and symbolizes the qualities expected of a hotelier within the Choice Hotels Canada system.
Rookie of the Year Michael Prince (centre) with Michael (Pinball) Clemons and Tim Oldfield
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o National Winner: Quality Inn & Suites, Val D'Or, QC
2011 Development Award Winners
New for 2011 are four categories of Development Awards, honouring the Canadian entrepreneurs who have brought new or existing hotels into the Choice Hotels Canada system.
o Developer of the Year: Ray Gupta, Sunray Group of Hotels
o Best New Entry, New-Build: Comfort Inn & Suites, Sylvan Lake, AB
o Best New Entry, Conversion, Mid-Scale Brands: Comfort Inn & Suites, Surrey, BC
o Best New Entry, Conversion, Economy Brands: Econo Lodge, Woodstock, ON
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